Cycling holidays in Scotland
| country: | Scotland |
| location: | Scottish Highlands |
| trip type: | Self guided, moderate cycling holidays |
| departures: | Self guided departures April to October, please choose your preferred departure date within these months and contact us to check availability |
| price: | From £460 (7 days) excluding flights. Price includes B&B accommodation (twin share basis), route maps and instructions, luggage transfers between accommodation, and transfer back to Balloch or Glasgow airport at the end if required. Bike hire £100. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Cycling holidays in Scotland
Whether you want to cycle through stunning countryside, experience the exhilaration of coasts and cliffs, or visit quiet backwaters and historic towns, our cycling holidays in Scotland can't be beaten! Our self-guided cycling holidays in Scotland allow us to offer pretty much any date you wish. Based on a minimum of 2 people these holidays allow you to cycle at your own pace. We book all your accommodation, transfer your luggage and provide you with routes and a detailed itinerary.
Lochs and Glens (Moderate cycling holidays)
Lochs and Glens is a tour of the Scottish Highlands from south to north through the heart of Scotland's magnificent mountain ranges and valleys. This seven day cycling holiday is part of Scotland's National Cycle Network and follows traffic free paths and quiet roads, with some gentle off-road sections.
Starting from the banks of Loch Lomond, our cycling holiday winds its way through the beautiful hills of the Trossachs, along the shores of tranquil lochs and across open moorland. Heading north, we absorb the awe-inspiring Grampian mountain range, through Aviemore and Strathspey to Inverness. Along the route are Scotland's historic sites of battles and ancient castles. There are many opportunities along the way to see wildlife, including deer, eagle and osprey and also the chance to visit a whisky distillery.
On these cycling holidays in Scotland, accommodation is taken in friendly Bed & Breakfasts or small hotels, with evening meals taken in local pubs or restaurants where a “wee dram” of Highland malt will warm your heart ready for the next day’s ride.
Whether you want to cycle through stunning countryside, experience the exhilaration of coasts and cliffs, or visit quiet backwaters and historic towns, our cycling holidays in Scotland can't be beaten! Our self-guided cycling holidays in Scotland allow us to offer pretty much any date you wish. Based on a minimum of 2 people these holidays allow you to cycle at your own pace. We book all your accommodation, transfer your luggage and provide you with routes and a detailed itinerary.
Lochs and Glens (Moderate cycling holidays)
Lochs and Glens is a tour of the Scottish Highlands from south to north through the heart of Scotland's magnificent mountain ranges and valleys. This seven day cycling holiday is part of Scotland's National Cycle Network and follows traffic free paths and quiet roads, with some gentle off-road sections.
Starting from the banks of Loch Lomond, our cycling holiday winds its way through the beautiful hills of the Trossachs, along the shores of tranquil lochs and across open moorland. Heading north, we absorb the awe-inspiring Grampian mountain range, through Aviemore and Strathspey to Inverness. Along the route are Scotland's historic sites of battles and ancient castles. There are many opportunities along the way to see wildlife, including deer, eagle and osprey and also the chance to visit a whisky distillery.
On these cycling holidays in Scotland, accommodation is taken in friendly Bed & Breakfasts or small hotels, with evening meals taken in local pubs or restaurants where a “wee dram” of Highland malt will warm your heart ready for the next day’s ride.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival. Arriving in Balloch on the shores of Loch Lomond, your first night on this cycling holiday is in a well appointed bed and breakfast. You will be met by our guide either in the evening or first thing the following morning. For those arriving by train (40 minutes from Glasgow) the B&B is only a short walk from the station. Parking is available at the accommodation for the duration of the trip, and a free pick up service is available for those arriving by plane at Glasgow airport. The evening can be spent strolling along the banks of Scotland's famed Loch Lomond or checking out the many restaurants Balloch has to offer. |
| Day 2: | 34 miles cycling. Following a hearty Scottish breakfast you will head off towards Balloch Castle on the shores of Loch Lomond. From Balloch Castle we follow a route via lochs & glens (no surprises there!) to Callander, our second nights stop. The route takes us out into the solitude of Scotland's countryside from Loch Lomond to Loch Venacher via quiet country roads. After Aberfoyle we enter Achray Forest from where we weave our way to Callander along the southern shore of Loch Venacher. Some climbing, with the inevitable descents, but plenty of time to enjoy the views, lunch, tranquillity and great cycling. Accommodation and evening meal in Callander. |
| Day 3: | 49 miles cycling. This is the longest cycling day of the holiday, but more time to take stock of Scotland's lochs! The countryside is different to yesterday's cycling with a gentler landscape of farmland and woodland. A real combination of surfaces today, quiet lanes, paths and a disused railway line through the beautiful Glen Ogle. We are now close to the birthplace of folk hero and latter day Robin Hood, Rob Roy Macgregor, whose grave may be found in Balquhidder. The final stretch to Aberfeldy, our stop for the night, follows the 15 mile long Loch Tay. Aberfeldy is the home to Dewars World of Whiskey Distillery! Accommodation and evening meal Aberfeldy. |
| Day 4: | 28 miles cycling. A relatively easy and short day of cycling, but plenty to see en route nevertheless! All road today, as we pass through Aberfeldy and Strathay, before arriving at Pitlochry - watch out for those salmon leaping! An optional detour can be made from here to the Edradour Distillery (2.5 miles from Pitlochry) - sure you'll need no persuasion to visit Scotland's smallest distillery, established way back in 1825. Blair Atholl is our final destination & a visit to the magnificent Blair Castle, the traditional home of the Dukes of Atholl, can't be missed. Accommodation and evening meal in Blair Atholl. |
| Day 5: | 35 miles cycling. Today's cycling route takes us into the Grampians and crosses the Pass of Drumochter. At 450 metres, this is one of the highest passes in Scotland, but don't worry as the trusty support vehicle will be there to ease the effort with a welcoming chocolate biscuit or two at the top. Kingussie is our target for today and a warm welcome awaits. Accommodation and evening meal in Kingussie. |
| Day 6: | 28 miles cycling. Today we will be the Monarchs of the Glen as we head from Kingussie to Carrbridge via beautiful wooded scenery. A short detour can be taken to visit the Osprey centre at Loch Garten. The Loch Garten ospreys usually arrive at these superb Highland nest sites by early April. It's well worth the detour for the chance to see these magnificent birds of prey. Not seen in Scotland since the early part of the 20th Century until a pair nested here in 1959, their numbers in the highlands have been increasing ever since. Accommodation and evening meal in Carrbridge. |
| Day 7: | 32 miles cycling. Our last day of cycling as we head onto Inverness. Mainly using quiet roads and paths we enjoy a gradual drop in height towards Inverness. Certainly worth a visit is the Clava Cairns burial chamber and the Culloden visitor centre that provides an interesting insight into the 1746 Battle of Culloden and the defeat of the Jacobites. After our arrival in Inverness you will be met by your guide if you are being transferred back to Balloch / airport, for those using the train Inverness has an excellent main line connection. Or why not stay on for a while in Inverness, a lovely finish to your cycling holiday in Scotland? |
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Global adventures start with a local perspective – that's the our philosophy. Whether abroad, or just as importantly at home, the start point is the same; how to get the most enjoyable holiday for our customers while benefiting the local people, economy and respecting the environment.
Cycling is a great way to explore the countryside, travelling at a speed that enables you to take in the surroundings without damaging the environment. On these cycling holidays in Scotland we use local guides, small independent B&B's, guest houses and hotels to ensure that the money stays in the local economy. Where we provide food we aim to use locally produced product. For these cycling holidays in Scotland we provide travellers with Travellers Codes that encourage the reduction of water usage, systems for collecting, recycling or safe disposal of litter and relevant suggestions to minimise damage to the environment, wildlife and marine ecosystems. All our cycling holidays in Scotland have a maximum group size of 12 to 15 people minimising both the social and environmental impact. We work with and support Sustrans and the development of the excellent National Cycle Network and use these routes for our UK Cycling Breaks. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |